Govt explanation sought on IDPs settlement issue

KARACHI - A division bench of Sindh High Court on Tuesday sent notice to the Federal Ministry, Sindh Home Department, Deputy Attorney General (DAG) and Advocate General Sindh seeking explanation over the arrangements about the Internally Displaced Persons (IDP) till 29 May. Amjad Ali Shah Advocate and Wahab Ansari Advocate while counselling the petitioner True Line International Foundation (TLIF), appeared before the bench of Sindh High Court (SHC) comprising Justice Mushir Alam and Justice Safdar Bhutto. The counsel argued before the court that under article 15, the Pakistani nationals could not be stopped from moving anywhere in the country. The advocates mentioned that over a million of people from Swat, Bunir and other tribal areas were compelled to leave their homeland due to ongoing Rah-e-Rast operation launched by the Pakistani forces against the insurgencies. The affected people are moving to different parts of the country as well as in Karachi, Sindh seeking shelters. They further submitted that the IDPs could be accommodated in New Haji Camp, situated in Sultanabad, Kemari Town, where at least 50 thousand people can be accommodated. Its the responsibility of the government to provide shelter and other basic needs of life to the IDPs. After hearing the comments from the counsels, the court issued notice to the respondents and their representatives to submit their comments before the bench in the next hearing. Naeem Khan President of TLIF has submitted in the petition the entire nation of the country had taken the IDPs with open arms and realised it as their responsibility. The nation is assisting the government to their very best to accommodate the IDPs. The provincial home department is responsible for the registration and accommodation of these IDPs as some of them had arrived in Karachi as well. However, the Sindh government has failed to make any arrangements for them, resulted they have been suffering with great difficulties during the registration process. The people across the country have initiated collecting huge donations for the purpose of rehabilitation of IDPs, while also performing every possible assistance to IDPs for accommodating them in camps established for the purpose, submitted the plaintiff. The petitioner prayed to settle the IDPs in New Haji Camp, situated in Sultanabad area, while issuing direction to the concerned ministries for taking initiative regarding proper registration of the IDPs Hearing adjourned till May 28 Moreover, another division bench consisting Justice Gulzar Ahmed and Justice Malik Mohammad Aqil adjourned the hearing regarding the petition of suspected entrance of Talibans in Sindh, till 28 May. The bench conducted the hearing over the petition filed by Iqbal Haider. He submitted that due to no check and balance by the Sindh govt, along with IDPs, Talibans as well as other militants could enter the province, particularly in Karachi for taking shelters as IDPs. He pleaded that proper system of check and balance for the registration of IDPs should be adopted.